John MacLean was a promising young rugby league player and triathlete when he was hit by an 8 tonne truck while cycling on Sydney’s M4. The 22 year old was left with a broken back, pelvis and punctured lungs. He was paralysed, with no use in his right leg and just 25 percent in his left. That was 28 years ago. Since then he has become one of the most accomplished disabled athletes in the world, becoming the first wheelchair athlete to complete the Ironman World Champs.

But perhaps his biggest achievement was teaching himself to walk again. He describes his journey in his new book, “How far can you go?: My 25-year quest to walk again.” John Maclean talks with Jesse about how he managed to achieve this despite his spinal injuries.